DULUTH EAST GREYHOUNDS

Coach: Mike Randolph, 32nd season

2019-20 record: 10-13-2

Conference: Independent

Section: 7AA

Key departures: F Charlie Erickson (12-13—25); D Ryan Cummings (7-14—21); D Michael Sutherland (1-16—17); F Finn Hoops (3-13—16); F Jack Fellman (5-9—14); G Konrad Kausch (3.84 GAA, .904 save percentage)

Key returners: Sr. F Zarley Ziemski (14-7—21); sr. D Garrett Johnson

Outlook: The Greyhounds experienced last season what hadn’t happened since the Eisenhower administration: a losing record. The last time East had posted a sub-.500 mark was in the 1952-53 season — long before the venerable Randolph took the helm.

“We’re regrouping and hoping for a better start this year,” senior defenseman Garrett Johnson said. “We’re going to be young but we have a lot of seniors with varsity experience.”

Ziemski is one of those but was out injured for the first week of the season. He doesn’t think the losing record will have an effect on this year’s squad.

“Just brush it off and start anew,” he said.

Despite numerous COVID-19 restrictions, the Greyhounds still have a difficult schedule that includes two games against Hermantown for the first time in eons, trips to St. Thomas Academy, Minnetonka and Moorhead as well as a trifecta of games against rival Cloquet-Esko-Carlton.

That’s if the players can stay healthy.

“It’s day to day, and you just hope you can go to the rink every day and get through this season and not get any cancellations because of COVID,” Randolph said.

Rick Weegman, News Tribune

Schedule

Home games at Heritage Center

Jan. 14 — Duluth Denfeld

Jan. 16 — at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton

Jan. 21 — Superior

Jan. 26 — Brainerd

Jan. 28 — at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m.

Feb. 1 — Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 9 — Hermantown, 7 p.m.

Feb. 11 — at Minnetonka, 6 p.m.

Feb. 15 — at Duluth Marshall, 7 p.m.

Feb. 18 — at Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl, 7 p.m.

Feb. 23 — at Moorhead, 6 p.m.

Feb. 27 — at St. Thomas Academy, 7 p.m.

Mar. 2 — Grand Rapids, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 4 — Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 6 — Roseau, 2:45 p.m.

Mar. 9 — at Hermantown, 7 p.m.

Mar. 11 — at Duluth Denfeld (Heritage Center), 7 p.m.

Mar. 15 — Hibbing-Chisholm, 7 p.m.

The Greyhounds’ dog pile Cole Christian (4) after his first varsity goal in the second period of Duluth East’s game with Denfeld last season at the Heritage Sports Center in Duluth.

Jed Carlson / 2020 file / Superior Telegram

Schedule

Home games at Mars Lakeview Arena

Jan. 14 — Proctor

Jan. 19 — at Grand Rapids

Jan. 23 — at Greenway

Jan. 26 — Superior

Jan. 28 — Moose Lake Area, 5 p.m.

Feb. 4 — Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 6 — at Eveleth-Gilbert (Hoyt Lakes), 2 p.m.

Feb. 9 — Ely, 6 p.m.

Feb. 11 — Duluth Denfeld, 7 p.m.

Feb. 15 — Duluth East, 7 p.m.

Feb. 18 — Hibbing-Chisholm, 6 p.m.

Feb. 25 — at Proctor, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 27 — at Cloquet-Esko-Carlton, 1 p.m.

Mar. 2 — Hermantown, 7 p.m.

Mar. 4 — at North Shore, 7 p.m.